Patti Smith Returns to Vienna for Wiener Festwochen Performances

During the concert, Smith dedicated 'Peaceable Kingdom' to Palestinian children and others suffering from violence and war. She also performed 'Ghost Dance', originally sung in 1978 in honor of American Indians, as a protest against former US President Donald Trump's immigration policy.

Smith referenced several artistic influences throughout the evening, including Jim Morrison of The Doors and British Romantic poet William Blake, whom she honored with the song 'My Blakean Year'.

Political and Artistic Messages

The artist expressed her happiness to be back in Vienna, noting in German: 'Ich bin glücklich, wieder in Wien zu sein. Das Festival hat das Wort Gott im Namen, es kann also nicht zu schlecht sein' ('I am happy to be back in Vienna. The festival has the word God in its name, so it can't be too bad').

Smith will continue her Vienna appearances with a sold-out show at the Wiener Arena on Thursday and as part of the Festwochen-Eröffnung at Heldenplatz on Friday, which will be broadcast on ORF 2 starting at 22:35.

Upcoming Performances

The performance at Theater Akzent featured a more acoustic setup with concert grand piano and acoustic guitars, showcasing Smith's ability to interpret both her own compositions and songs by other artists.